Union Army Double-Track Corduroy Road - Stafford, Virginia - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

At right is the order for a dual-track corduroy road, remains of which can still be seen just beyond this sign. Below are details for construction of corduroy roads as reported earlier in the war by a Union staff officer. Corduroy roads were needed in swampy areas or loamy soils such as Stafford’s, to allow for the timely movement of troops, artillery, ammunition and supplies as necessary to support either offensive or defensive operations.

“As to the nature of the construction, that will depend upon circumstances. Where the soil is sandy, a good road can always be easily made if we only throw up the roadway a foot or 18 inches above the natural surface and pay proper attention to the drainage. …Where the soil is swampy and the roadway would have to he raised above the water, we would resort to corduroying, but this, in order that it may stand the travel of a large army, should be carefully put down and always be supported on longitudinal stringers. A corduroy road, if carefully built is a very good military road, particularly if the logs be covered with about 6 inches of brush, and then with about 6 inches of almost any kind of earth over the brush. In a wooded country, with a large force, it can be made very rapidly… As to the time required to make the proposed road, I am of the opinion judging from my experience in making roads with soldiers since the war commenced that we may safely say the each man can make 15 inches of road per day.”

Building a Civil war park in Stafford

During 2011 and 2012 as part of three “Individual Readiness Training Exercises” proposed by the Friends of Stafford Civil War Sites to complete this park, Virginia Army and Air National Guard Soldiers and Airmen cleared land for the park’s roads and parking areas, removed debris, arid built and paved the park’s roads. These roads now honor their Civil War predecessors, as they help ensure the preservation of, and access to, multiple historical sites by the public.

Group that erected the marker: Stafford County Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 400 Mt Hope Church Road Stafford, Virginia United States of America 22554 URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

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